I felt like I was going back in time to the early 1950s, when the first fluoridation hysteria hit Denver soon after the water department began adding it to the water. I don’t think anyone can show empirical evidence of any damage done to Denver residents from this early innovation. The current round of fluoride hysteria seems to be much ado about nothing.

Stephen Holben, Lakewood

This letter was published in the Aug. 1 edition.

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Douglas County School District Superintendent Liz Fagen, front right, answers questions during a press conference about the Colorado Supreme Court ruling the Douglas County School District’s controversial school voucher program unconstitutional in a split ruling on June 29 at the state Supreme Court. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Letter-writer Steve Schuck and I agree that school vouchers may be the answer for “low-income kids trapped in the worst-performing schools located in impoverished neighborhoods,” as he puts it. Where I disagree with him is how the Dougco program addresses that need.

I would like the voucher program supporters, like Schuck or The Post’s editorial writers, to identify the impoverished neighborhoods and low-performing schools in Douglas County that make vouchers necessary. Douglas County is one of the wealthiest counties, per capita, in the nation. Its school district is one of the highest-performing in the state. The Dougco voucher program is not based on financial or academic need. In order to receive a government handout, all a parent has to do is ask.

School vouchers can be one of the tools districts use to improve education, but there is a time and place for them.

Ken O’Neal, Parker

This letter was published in the July 31 edition.

Fixing the educational system of failing schools with vouchers may not be the best approach. The history of education has been finding fixes to solve problems rather than addressing the causes of the problems. If a school is failing, rather than sending these kids to higher-achieving schools, determine why it is failing. Are you moving the problem from one area to another with vouchers? Are these failing schools a result of the environment, and is relocating going to change that environment? Are these failing schools a result of the environment not valuing education, and will vouchers be the answer?

Vouchers give parents choice, but they are not the answer to fix the failing educational system. We have to determine why this is happening and not use bandages to stop the leaks.

Dave Usechek, Parker

This letter was published in the July 31 edition.

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I recently heard some foolishness about closing down the 16th Street Mall to buses and making it a pedestrian-only venue. As the director for Regional Transportation District who carried the new mall bus through to completion, I can’t think of anything more ridiculous. The bus is the one thing that pulls the entire mall together. A person can get to any part of the downtown area and be whisked to their final destination by bus. This is the heart of the transportation district in Denver.

Our mall has inspired people from all over the world to come and see this design. People from South Korea, Mexico City, South America and others who are trying to eliminate their pollution have looked at this technologically forward-thinking mall design.

RTD can carry 84 passengers on an electric bus that has a small natural gas engine that only runs a generator. It was one of the very first in the country to do exactly what it is doing, which is to make getting around the downtown area feasible for thousands of people daily.

Don’t start tinkering with a system that works.

Alan Fleming, Littleton

This letter was published in the July 31 edition.

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I’d like to commend Bruce Finley for his article on air pollution in our national parks. One of my most valued possessions is the Golden Age Passport card that allows me access to these parks, the most beautiful areas in our country. It does sadden me, however, to note that the haze and ozone in the air is slowly degrading the experience such that I never see as far as I could as a child in the late 1940s and ’50s. The haze can ultimately be traced to our use of gasoline in cars and trucks and coal and natural gas in our power plants. It’s way past time to put some kind of price on carbon fuels so the marketplace reflects the true cost of its use, and to make our air healthier for all.

Jonathan F. Ormes, Denver

This letter was published in the July 31 edition.

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I completely agree with your editorial requesting a forthright overview from the Denver mayor’s office regarding proposed new taxes and city initiatives, including funding college scholarships.

During recent heavy rains we were told that there are not sufficient funds to repair deficient stormwater infrastructure for years in the future, as homes continue to be flooded. City streets are littered with potholes, curbs are crumbling everywhere — and that is only infrastructure we can see.

Enforcement of sidewalk maintenance is nonexistent with the exception of using past bond money voted for roads, etc., to comply with subsequent federal mandates for curb ramps.

There needs to be a comprehensive overview of city needs and funding set forth, especially with regard to infrastructure. New projects are constantly proposed while the city falls behind in maintenance of existing neighborhood needs.

I voted for a city bond issue in 2007 that was in part to improve roads. I do not see a good return on those bonds. I will not vote for any new bond proposals from the city under the current leadership. I hope the new auditor looks closely at the city infrastructure and past bond initiatives, and gives the oversight so surely lacking from the mayor.

Rich Miller, Denver

This letter was published in the July 30 edition.

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I’ve been a Rockies fan since day one. Love the team. Love Coors Field.

The Rockies didn’t just trade Troy Tulowitzki. They gave him away. And they gave up the season in the process. Remember that baseball is different. There’s always the hope that something crazy and cool will happen. It happened in 2007 for the Rockies. It could have happened again. Tulo was truly one of our best players ever. A Rockie for his whole career. It makes me wonder why I should care about the team anymore or go to any games.

And I hear the Rockies want to trade Carlos Gonzalez, too. Unbelievable.

I’m guessing the only way true fans can let the Rockies know how bad they’ve messed this up is to not go to any more games. It’s gonna hurt, but that’s my plan. It would be truly great if all the true Rockies fans would actually pick a game, go to Coors Field, and then not go inside to the game. Just hang out in front of Coors Field and make a point. It would make quite a statement.

Chris Deutsch, Denver

This letter was published in the July 30 edition.

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Judy Lubow of Longmont, RTD director for District I, clearly states in her opinion piece what has been obvious for years: that the proposed Northwest rail line “happens to be lengthy, not projected to have unusually dense ridership, and requires working with the railroad owning the right of way.” Yet she asks that taxpayers still fund it!

It is time for leadership to acknowledge this was always a bum steer, a lame horse, a three-legged dromedary that can’t hold its water, built by a committee that did not know how to play the game. Move on. The correct route is up Interstate 25 and arcing to Longmont over existing rail rights-of-way. This route has the developer/partners and population/ridership growth potential to warrant the effort. Boulder County has neither. Time to fold the bad hand and deal a new one.

Stephen Colby, Boulder

This letter was published in the July 30 edition.

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Good for Jensen Bissell, director of the private-trust-funded Baxter State Park, for protecting wilderness values amidst the celebration that followed Scott Jurek’s incredible feat. [Jurek hiked the 2,180-mile Appalachian Trail in a record 46 days, 8 hours and 7 minutes.]

I go into the mountains for the experience of wildness, the beauty and peace that I find there. I understand I have to share, that others want to go too — and so there are often many other hikers on the trails, particularly lower down making their way up as I am on my descent. I hurry off the mountain then, the solitude broken.

It is all the things we carry with us from the non-wilderness into the wild that are so distressing and destructive, from plastic and cans to off-road vehicles.
It is wonderful that more people want to enjoy the wilderness. But please, just enjoy it for what it is, as it is — do not diminish or destroy it.

Bonnie Mandell-Rice, Broomfield

This letter was published in the July 29 edition.

The original intent for protected public lands was certainly not today’s “Zeitgeist of adventure” or commercial gain. Changing public values have created a new class of user that desires a wildlands amusement park adventure. I don’t know which is worse: the mountain bikes or all-terrain vehicles.

One of the most insightful posters to come out of the 1970s environmental movement showed comic strip character Pogo summing up the gist of the environmental problem: “We have met the enemy and he is us.” Pogo was a wise possum.

Thomas J. Straka, Pendleton, S.C.

The writer is a professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation at Clemson University.

This letter was published in the July 29 edition.

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Douglas County School District Superintendent Liz Fagen, front right, answers questions during a press conference about the Colorado Supreme Court ruling the Douglas County School District’s controversial school voucher program unconstitutional in a split ruling on June 29 at the state Supreme Court. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Letter-writer John Murphy’s claim that vouchers aren’t the answer to current problems with public education is wrong. Vouchers are the answer, particularly for poor kids.

Giving vouchers to low-income kids trapped in the worst-performing schools located in impoverished neighborhoods so they can attend better schools, be they public or private, will dramatically increase their access to a quality education.

Murphy criticized Douglas County’s Board of Education for supporting a voucher program that he says “advocates an elitist approach of undermining the public school system.” Vouchers allow poor children to escape failed schools, almost all of which are concentrated in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Dougco Board of Education members should be thanked and congratulated for their humanity and their concern for what is best for all students.

If voucher opponents are so concerned about “social diversity,” “common values,” “common culture,” and “associating with the majority,” they should send their kids to the failing schools they would deny their victims the opportunity to escape.

Steve Schuck, Colorado Springs

This letter was published in the July 29 edition.

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Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal addresses the media during a news conference at the Grand 16 Theatre in Lafayette, La., July 24. (Paul Kieu, The Daily Advertiser via The Associated Press)

Following last week’s shooting in Lafayette, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Ted Nugent said that now is not the time to talk about gun control measures.

This seems to be the common response following a shooting by those opposed to gun safety measures and was also heard following the Charleston shootings. My question to them is: When is the proper time to discuss this matter?

All their response does is postpone action on the implementation of measures that may save lives.

David Ryan, Montrose

This letter was published in the July 29 edition.

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Guidelines: The Post welcomes letters up to 150 words on topics of general interest. Letters must include full name, home address, day and evening phone numbers, and may be edited for length, grammar and accuracy.

To reach the Denver Post editorial page by phone: 303-954-1331

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